The tanker Renda and ice-breaker Healy have arrived in the area of the ice-choked Nome harbor. A safety zone has been set up to keep people away from the vessels and the hose that will likely be used to deliver fuel.

The tanker Renda and ice-breaker Healy moved just 7 miles yesterday in a full day of work. Coast Guard Petty Officer Grant DeVuyst says that after covering an impressive 53 miles on Monday, the vessels hit pressurized ice Tuesday and ground to a near halt. They are now around 90 miles south of Nome.

It has been slower going than anticipated through the rapidly thickening Bering Sea ice for the Russian tanker Renda and the Coast Guard icebreaker Healy. As of last evening they were still 165 miles from their destination of Nome.

The Renda and Healy have been moving through the ice since midnight. With the vessels 2 and a-half days out, the operation is now moving into its critical phase as people and equipment mobilize to Nome.

The Renda is steaming north at 11 knots with the icebreaker Healy close by. The vessels are set to reach the ice edge around noon Friday and break through 390 miles of ice. The fuel is now expected to make it to Nome on Monday.

Five hours into its journey north, the Renda turned around and returned to Dutch Harbor for repairs. About 10 miles north of port, State Marine Pilot Captain Pete Garay reported a mechanical issue after observing the tanker moving slower than expected in rough weather, averaging around three knots.

Vitus Marine, the company contracted to help get fuel delivered to Nome, is hoping to hear back Friday on the status of the Jones Act waiver for the Russian tanker Renda. The waiver is necessary for the tanker to be able to load gasoline in Dutch Harbor.

The Russian Tanker Renda is steaming towards Dutch Harbor to pick up 400,000 gallons of gasoline bound for Nome. But it must first receive a waiver of the Jones Act, or it will turn north and deliver diesel fuel only.

A failed marine delivery of 1.6 million gallons of fuel due to November’s storm spurred the leadership at the Sitnasuak Native Corporation in Nome to get creative. They’re looking to Russian and Korean companies to keep fuel costs down in the Western Alaskan community.